Jean-Paul Ngoupandé
Encyclopedia
Jean-Paul Ngoupandé is a Central African
politician. Born in Dékoa, Kemo-Gribingui, he was appointed as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic by President Ange-Félix Patassé
on 6 June 1996 and resigned on 30 January 1997. Since then he has run for president of the Central African Republic twice and served as foreign minister for one year. He is President of the National Unity Party
(Parti de l'unité nationale, PUN), an entity which he founded in the mid-1990s. He presents himself as an enemy of corruption and a defender of fair elections and democratic institutions.
His tenure as Prime Minister (and simultaneously as Minister of Finance) was marked by the implementation of an open-door economic policy through structural adjustment
. Ngoupandé fell into a dispute
with President Patassé over the speed of these reforms, and resigned in favour of Michel Gbezera-Bria
in early 1997.
Standing as his party's candidate in the presidential election
of 19 September 1999 (won by the incumbent Patassé), he received 3.14 percent of the vote, in sixth place.
On 10 October 2004, the National Unity Party announced that Ngoupandé would contest the presidential election
of 13 March 2005 under its banner. The election marked a return to democratic rule after the coup d'état of 15 March 2003, which installed Gen. François Bozizé
as president of an interim government backed by Chad
. In January 2005, Ngoupandé returned to Bangui
from exile in Paris
. In his campaign, he emphasized the need to bring peace and stability to the country, especially those areas most affected by rebel activity before the coup. His candidacy was originally disqualified on a technicality on 30 December 2004, along with six others, but it was reinstated by Bozizé along with two others on 4 January 2005. He received fourth place and 5.08% of the vote in the first round, and he was also elected to a seat in the National Assembly
from Dékoa in the first round, one of 17 candidates (out of 105 seats) to win a seat in the first round.
On April 21, 2005, Ngoupandé signed an agreement to support Bozizé in the second round of the election. After Bozizé's victory in the second round, held in May, Ngoupandé was named Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of newly-appointed Prime Minister Élie Doté
on 19 June 2005.
On January 1, 2006, Ngoupandé was taken to the Val-de-Grâce
hospital in Paris after suffering a heart attack. After treatment, he returned to Bangui
on February 12. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs until September 2, 2006, when he left that position in a cabinet reshuffle and instead became special advisor to Bozizé.
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
politician. Born in Dékoa, Kemo-Gribingui, he was appointed as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic by President Ange-Félix Patassé
Ange-Félix Patassé
Ange-Félix Patassé was a Central African politician who was President of the Central African Republic from 1993 until 2003, when he was deposed by the rebel leader François Bozizé...
on 6 June 1996 and resigned on 30 January 1997. Since then he has run for president of the Central African Republic twice and served as foreign minister for one year. He is President of the National Unity Party
National Unity Party (Central African Republic)
The National Unity Party is a political party in the Central African Republic.In the presidential election held on 13 March 2005, its candidate and leader, Jean-Paul Ngoupandé, won 5.08% of the vote. Ngoupandé had served as president from June 1996 to January 1997...
(Parti de l'unité nationale, PUN), an entity which he founded in the mid-1990s. He presents himself as an enemy of corruption and a defender of fair elections and democratic institutions.
His tenure as Prime Minister (and simultaneously as Minister of Finance) was marked by the implementation of an open-door economic policy through structural adjustment
Structural adjustment
Structural adjustments are the policies implemented by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in developing countries. These policy changes are conditions for getting new loans from the International Monetary Fund or World Bank, or for obtaining lower interest rates on existing loans...
. Ngoupandé fell into a dispute
Cohabitation (government)
Cohabitation in government occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France's system, when the President is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament. It occurs because such a system forces the president to name a premier that will be acceptable to the...
with President Patassé over the speed of these reforms, and resigned in favour of Michel Gbezera-Bria
Michel Gbezera-Bria
Michel Gbezera-Bria is a Central African politician who was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from 1997 to 1999.-Biography:...
in early 1997.
Standing as his party's candidate in the presidential election
Central African Republic presidential election, 1999
Presidential elections were held in the Central African Republic on 19 September 1999. Incumbent Ange-Félix Patassé of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People won 51.33% of the vote in the first round, meaning that a second round was not required. Voter turnout was...
of 19 September 1999 (won by the incumbent Patassé), he received 3.14 percent of the vote, in sixth place.
On 10 October 2004, the National Unity Party announced that Ngoupandé would contest the presidential election
Central African Republic elections, 2005
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in the Central African Republic on March 13, 2005 and May 8, 2005 , marking the end of the transitional process that began with the seizure of power by François Bozizé in a March 2003 coup...
of 13 March 2005 under its banner. The election marked a return to democratic rule after the coup d'état of 15 March 2003, which installed Gen. François Bozizé
François Bozizé
François Bozizé Yangouvonda is the President of the Central African Republic. He came to power in March 2003 after leading a rebellion against President Ange-Félix Patassé and ushered in a transitional period of government...
as president of an interim government backed by Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
. In January 2005, Ngoupandé returned to Bangui
Bangui
-Law and government:Bangui is an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic. With an area of 67 km², it is by far the smallest high-level administrative division of the CAR in area but the highest in population...
from exile in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In his campaign, he emphasized the need to bring peace and stability to the country, especially those areas most affected by rebel activity before the coup. His candidacy was originally disqualified on a technicality on 30 December 2004, along with six others, but it was reinstated by Bozizé along with two others on 4 January 2005. He received fourth place and 5.08% of the vote in the first round, and he was also elected to a seat in the National Assembly
National Assembly of the Central African Republic
The unicameral National Assembly of the Central African Republic is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 13 March and 8 May 2005, has a total of 105 members elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system...
from Dékoa in the first round, one of 17 candidates (out of 105 seats) to win a seat in the first round.
On April 21, 2005, Ngoupandé signed an agreement to support Bozizé in the second round of the election. After Bozizé's victory in the second round, held in May, Ngoupandé was named Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of newly-appointed Prime Minister Élie Doté
Élie Doté
Élie Doté was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from June 2005 to January 2008.-Biography:Born in Bangui, Doté has a doctorate degree in rural economy and worked at the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Ministry from 1974 to 1980 before becoming an expert at the African Development...
on 19 June 2005.
On January 1, 2006, Ngoupandé was taken to the Val-de-Grâce
Val-de-Grâce
This article describes the hospital and former abbey. For the main article on Mansart and Lemercier's central church, see Church of the Val-de-Grâce....
hospital in Paris after suffering a heart attack. After treatment, he returned to Bangui
Bangui
-Law and government:Bangui is an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic. With an area of 67 km², it is by far the smallest high-level administrative division of the CAR in area but the highest in population...
on February 12. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs until September 2, 2006, when he left that position in a cabinet reshuffle and instead became special advisor to Bozizé.
Quotations
- “We are bound to live together on this CAR land. I understand the anger and the pain. However, we all have to strive and stop the cycle of violence and the settlement of scores, which could take us too far, further than we can imagine.”
- “Coming up with a plan aimed at rebuilding the country … will require that we talk about the true issues, and God knows how many they are: insecurity, the sharp financial crisis, the AIDS pandemic and all its consequences, the disaster in the area of education. The issues are many.”
- ”This country is presenting an ugly image in Africa and in the world. It is seen as not serious.”
- “Coming to power through a democratic election does not entitle anyone to commit massacres.”